There are some Scriptures that I will read and then I will re-read and insert my name as if I was the original intended audience. I do this in a way to personalize the instruction, the praise, the encouragement, the comfort, or whatever else I am in need of giving or receiving in that moment. And on today, YES, I acknowledge that Moses did not have my BlogFam in mind when he wrote the book of Deuteronomy but today I invite YOU to read our selected verses as if he did...

And now, BlogFam [or insert YOUR name here], what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

[Deuteronomy 10:12-13]

If you have ever wondered, Lord, what is YOUR plan for my life? What would You have for me to do? How am I supposed to live in this world? OR any other question along those lines... well, BlogFam, Deuteronomy 10 is a great place to start if you are trying to discern God's Will for your life. It is a great place to start because the question posed in Deuteronomy 10:12-13 expresses some of the most basic things we can do as servants of the Most High. The question posed in these verses essentially summarizes the characteristics of faithful men and women and in and of itself refutes any challenges to what we can offer as our reasonable service unto the Lord.

Again, I ask... Have you ever wondered, Lord, what is YOUR plan for my life?

Here is the answer...

FEAR the Lord your God

BlogFam, this does not mean that we are scared of God as if God is the monster hiding under your bed or other dark places in your life. This simply means that with everything within us we must reverence God. We must put God FIRST and live our lives spiritually conscious of God's presence at all times and it is this consciousness that will cause us to consider and re-consider the things we say, do, and think. It means that in everything we do, we will make every effort to PLEASE the Lord because we do not want to dishonor or disrespect God in any way.

WALK in OBEDIENCE to God

BlogFam, this is a pretty self explanatory phrase and I know that you have already got in your mind its meaning. OBEY! Period. We are to OBEY the things that we learn to do through reading God's Word. We are to OBEY the one's that God has allowed to have authority in our lives. We are to OBEY the promptings of the Holy Spirit that leads, guides, and directs us into truth and faithfulness. We are to OBEY God. And this also means that we have to be constantly listening and paying attention to the Word the Lord may speak into our lives so that we might know what we are to be doing, how we are to be doing it, and when we are to be doing what the Lord would have for us to be doing.

LOVE God

BlogFam, I know that this might be one of the things that we are commanded to do that we too often take for granted. We sing songs about loving God and testify about loving God but do we really LOVE God? How do you know that you LOVE God? How have you expressed your LOVE for God lately? Does anybody else know by the way that you live your life that you LOVE God? Or is it a secret LOVE affair? BlogFam, LOVE God. I really do not know how else to say this.

But a few chapters earlier, Moses puts it this way...

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

[Deuteronomy 6:5-6]

SERVE the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul

Now, BlogFam, a few of you might be thinking... well, if I am walking in obedience wouldn't that necessarily mean I am also serving the Lord? And my answer to your smart self would be YES but not completely. And this is what I believe that Moses is emphasizing here in this phrase. I believe that we can indeed walk in obedience, we can be doing those things that the Lord would have for us to be doing BUT we can do those things and our hearts can be far from God. It is kind of like when people say that others are "playing church." They know exactly what to do and what to say and it appears that their actions are in line with God's will BUT God sees deeper than we can see. God looks at our hearts. So, Moses addresses this by including in his question the very honest acknowledgement that acts of obedience does NOT necessarily equate to a having a heart of service.

BlogFam, we are to serve the Lord from the depths of our hearts. We are to Love the Lord the very same way. We are to serve the Lord from a place of sincerity and integrity, honesty and purity. We are to serve the Lord in a way that transforms us from the inside out. This is where God looks and God knows whether or not our hearts are filled with Godly intentions even if our actions look one way to the natural eye.

OBSERVE the Lord's Commands and Decrees FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

BlogFam, everything that we are commanded to do by God is for our own good! The minute that we can all TRUST this truth, we will ALL be in a much better place. Far too often we question or try to modify the commands of the Lord in order to suit our personal preferences in the moment BUT when we TRUST that God is in control of the times and seasons of our lives, we are also trusting that God has our BEST interest at heart. AND whatever God commands us to do, wherever God directs us to go, it is for our own GOOD. Do you believe this? Do you believe that when you are mindful of God's will for your life, that God is also mindful to work everything together for your GOOD? This is a critical TRUTH that we must all learn to TRUST. God has in God's mind a plan for our whole life and this plan unfolds as we observe to do and to be ALL that God is calling for us to do and to be. And God's plan is GOOD.

So, BlogFam, Again, I ask... Have you ever wondered, Lord, what is YOUR plan for my life? If your answer is YES, well, here is great place to start...

And now, BlogFam [or insert YOUR name here], what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

GOD LOVES YOU and I DO TOO!!!

Delesslyn A. Kennebrew

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